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A Guide for Cleaning Your Cats Ear

Monday, May 18, 2020
posted by Jim Murphy

My cat Atlantis takes a transdermal medication for his hyperthyroidism. This means that his ears can get crusty so ear cleaning has been a daily ritual in our household. Usually, I’ll take a baby wipe and gently clean both of his ears each day. If your cat needs a thorough cleaning, the professionals recommend an effective specific method. VCA Hospitals.com have provided a detailed breakdown of the correct way to clean your cats ears.

Step-by-Step Guide for Ear Cleaning

  1. Sitting in a comfortable position, hold your cat in your lap. Wrapping or swaddling your cat in a towel may help keep her calm if she is resistant to having her ears cleaned.
  2. Grasp the tip of the ear flap (pinna) pulling back slightly to expose the ear canal and to help straighten the ear canal out.
  3. While holding your cat’s ear flap, gently but firmly with one hand, hold the ear cleaning solution in your other hand.
  4. Squeeze some ear cleaning solution into your cat’s ear. Use enough cleaner to completely fill the ear canal. It is fine if some of the cleaner spills out of the canal. DO NOT put the tip of the bottle into the ear. If the tip of the bottle touches your cat’s ear, wipe the tip off with a clean cotton ball soaked in alcohol to prevent the spread of bacteria or yeast.
  5. Continue to hold the ear flap with one hand and gently massage the base of the ear below the ear opening for about 30 seconds with the other hand. This allows the cleaning solution to break up the debris that is in the ear canal. You should hear a ‘squishing’ sound as the cleaning solution moves around in the horizontal part of the canal.
  6. While still holding the ear flap, wipe away debris from the inner part of the ear flap and the upper ear canal using a cotton ball or gauze.
  7. Allow your cat to shake her head. This allows the remaining ear cleaning solution and debris from the ear canal to move out of the canal to the outer opening of the ear.
  8. Once again, hold the ear flap, and remove the loosened debris and cleaning solution from the outer opening of the ear canal using a cotton ball or gauze.
  9.  Remove any debris and remaining cleaning solution from the ear canal with a cotton ball or gauze – only go into the canal as far as your finger will reach.
  10. NEVER use a cotton-tipped applicator (Q-tip) to remove the solution from the ear canal. Doing so can damage the ear canal and/or ear drum or push debris further into the canal.
  11. Provide treats to your cat.
  12. Repeat the same process with the other ear.
  13. If your cat appears to be in pain during the cleaning process, stop and consult your veterinarian.
  14. Repeat the cleaning procedure as often as is recommended by your veterinarian.

Remember, your pets count!

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